Master's Degree brings new opportunities

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Bryan Hosford is the type of person who is always looking for a new challenge. While being the Principle IT Business Analyst/Project Manager for an international publishing company might sound like more than enough, Hosford wanted to push himself. He hoped to find something that would both challenge him and help him focus on his long-term career goals. UW-Platteville offered the perfect program for his needs with the Master of Science in Project Management.

Hosford had considered getting his master’s degree right after completing his undergraduate work, but was advised by a professor and mentor to get some real-world experience. In hindsight, Hosford said this was a good move, as his career experience helped him conceptualize many of the ideas in his classes. And just as his career experience helped his classwork, he was able to apply his classwork in the workplace. Hosford said he saw the benefits almost immediately.

“Word got out that I was pursuing this, and suddenly I was being asked to review all these new processes and was exposed to new opportunities,” Hosford said.

Hosford is now serving as a mentor for all the project managers in his company, world-wide. When asked for advice for other students in the Project Management Program, Hosford laughed and said, “Wait until you’ve taken two or three classes before taking Managerial Accounting, or it’ll kick your butt.” Practical advice aside, Hosford said the most important advice he could give students was to keep at it.

“Stick to it. Don’t ever think you can’t do it,” Hosford said. “It will all come into place, even accounting. It will change your mindset, and you’ll be better for it.”

Hosford also encouraged students who were balancing school and a full-time job to discuss their educational plans with their employer. He shared that his company was so supportive of his efforts that they allowed him to set aside an hour or two of his work day to focus on his courses. According to Hosford, his employer and many other corporations can see the value of education and want to support it for their own benefit and the benefit of their employees.